SUDDEN ADVERSITY

Sudden adversity reveals a lot about our identity, core values, and hopes. We disclose our true selves during crisis situations—such as when our reputations, positions, prospects, or even lives are at stake. To find out what people really believe, observe how they deal with unexpected loss or failure. To discover if they have true faith, examine how they respond to devastating misfortune. And to ascertain their genuineness, courage, and meekness, watch how they handle cascading tragedies. Crisis events and pain not only define a person, they also reveal the person (Job 1:20-22; 2:9,10; 13:15). Perplexed? Like a pregnant woman in labor, sudden adversity squeezes out your true character.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim